One of the main reasons the Muppets originally worked was that they were often playing situations completely straight -- and the comedy comes from the fact that we, the audience, find it outrageous for a Pig and a Frog to be playing a love-scene seriously. Sure, they had plenty of jokes/puns/etc even then, but the main comedy was often the seriousness (the reality) of it, no?

Do we really care what he thinks? He still seems to have some annoyed angle at it. I don't see the over cuteness at all. That would be MCC.

I think it comes down to the fact he wished it was more experimental. And Experimental would have made that movie BOMB big time. Now, the next film can be as experimental as it wants. Disney wanted to build a brand with it, I think that deep down he has some problem with the Disney ownership, and that's part of his assessment.

*sigh* Am I a bad Muppet fan for not hanging on Frank Oz's every word? Yes, the man was an amazing puppeteer and he created some of the most vivid, memorable characters in the troupe, but he's moved on. I wish the media would stop asking the man about the Muppets and let him direct movies.

I personally disagree with what he says. The Muppets always mixed in cuteness with their explosions and jokes and musical numbers, so to say the Muppets aren't cute is a little bit of wishful thinking. His characters may have not been the ones that brought the cute, but it was still there.

*sigh* Am I a bad Muppet fan for not hanging on Frank Oz's every word? Yes, the man was an amazing puppeteer and he created some of the most vivid, memorable characters in the troupe, but he's moved on. I wish the media would stop asking the man about the Muppets and let him direct movies.

I personally disagree with what he says. The Muppets always mixed in cuteness with their explosions and jokes and musical numbers, so to say the Muppets aren't cute is a little bit of wishful thinking. His characters may have not been the ones that brought the cute, but it was still there.

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There's a general sweetness in the movies that's not always present in the TV show. They were going for that. I didn't see an over abundance of sweetness that was too foreign to the movies, and like I said, MCC and LTS are FAR sweeter and cuter than this film was. I understand that he does have a personal point, working on them for years... so there's clearly an intangible, unimitatable quality that wasn't there on that level. But hey, it's either this movie or Muppet Gimmick Movie with non-stop at the moment pop culture references and C-list celebrities we'd be annoyed by seeing.

Innnteresting. I don't quite agree with him. There were a few parts of the movie that I found a little saccharine, but they were parts that dealt with Walter, Gary and Mary, not the Muppets themselves. I never felt like the Muppets were trying to be cute in the movie. They WERE cute, but they always have been, and like even Oz said, that's different.

You know, Beau, I feel like the Kermit/Piggy stuff, specifically, was played straight in this movie more than in any of the past productions. I don't remember them having lengthy Serious Relationship Discussions in the past without some kind of histrionics involved.

I don't know, I think Frank may have a point, if only because there's been discussion on this very forum over the past few years or so with people "complaining" (for lack of a better word) about how 'cutesy-wootsy' the Muppets have become lately, about them not having as much of an edge as they used to, about how sugar-coated they seem to have become, about how they seemed to be aimed more at kids exclusively rather than adults but still being acceptable for kids to watch, even specifically about how Kermit is nowhere near as high-strung and prone to occasionally flying off the handle at other's antics and too low-key, mellow, and laid back today.

I mean, that's just what I've noticed over the years here at MC; personally, I don't really care one way or another, as long as the Muppets continue to exist, I'm satisfied and content.

Oh, and I also love how Frank seems to be rather smug regarding Disney's ownership of the Muppets without really coming out and expressing any actual displease or anything.

I kind of agree with Frank Oz. I LIKED the movie, a lot, but I didn't LOVE it and it was not a representation of the Muppets that I and others in my generation grew up with. It was a safe, Disney-fied, Hollywood version of the Muppets. It wasn't the fun, outrageous, campy Muppets we've seen in the past. I get they were trying to restir up interest in the characters, and appeal to new fans and a wider audience, but the Muppets accomplished that once before. Why fix something that ain't broke?

I guess Frank Oz, like myself is a soul of another era, but he has even more of a truth and right to his opinion since this company he once worked for and played an important role in, has deteriorated. I definitely think the Muppets' humor has watered down over the years to be kind of too cute and I know it's a different world now, and Jim is no longer with us, etc. But the Muppets will never be what they once were.

I definitely don't think the Muppets are "too cute". When Frank's first opinion on the movie came out before the movie, I was a little skeptical, meaning that maybe or maybe not that Frank was right, but I liked the movie a lot, although some parts the movie could've done without.

The Muppets have always been cute but not too cute. They have a mix between cute and physical humor and explosions and also a lot of heart. I thought the movie had plenty of heart. But I do agree the Muppets are not the same without Jim, but at least they're heading in the right direction for once.

Maybe some people actually DO CARE what Frank Oz thinks I'm just saying. Although I will say if he still hasnt changed his view by NOW about the Muppets then he probably isn't going to. So I say either agree to disagree with him or just move on.

I personally feel each time he gets asked this questions it's like their trying to get him to change his mind.

I'm glad that he's at least given a more speciffic answer, given that interview a few months ago when he said he didn't want to talk about what he thought was wrong. Though this answer is a bit satysfying. After reading this I wonder if he'd been thinking of this longer, since there's been more time since that last interview and this one, but then again, I'd be surprised if he WASN'T expecting to be asked his opinions that first time around.

I don't think the recent Muppet productions have been "too sweet" or "too cute". Especially not compared to the older productions that Frank and the original gang worked on (well, maybe Letters to Santa played it a bit too safe).

You know, Beau, I feel like the Kermit/Piggy stuff, specifically, was played straight in this movie more than in any of the past productions. I don't remember them having lengthy Serious Relationship Discussions in the past without some kind of histrionics involved.

No one ever said he had to answer the question if he didn't want to. He could have easily said, "You know, I've done a lot of work with the Muppets, but that's in my past now, and I'd much prefer to talk about *insert name of movie he directed here*." By answering the question, it would appear to me that he has not moved on and there's some sort of ax to grind.

Okay first of all Frank wasn't complaining someone asked him the question and he gave an answer. He's only mentioned the muppets when it's been presented to him. And I don't think he wants to be involved with the muppets anymore. Plus if he has that many issues with Disney I doubt he's gonna wanna devote his time anytime soon. So he really doesn't have the POWER anymore.

He's said before that as long as people like them and if new people love them then he's happy about that regardless of his own personal opinions.